Papering Over the Cracks: Troost-Ekong Exposes Nigeria’s Deep-rooted Issues Amid AFCON Qualifier Struggles

Former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has exposed deep-rooted issues within Nigeria's football administration, which he believes are responsible for the team's inconsistent performance in their recent AFCON 2027 qualifiers. Nigeria, a three-time African champions, faced criticism for both of their qualifiers - a 3-0 loss to Guinea-Bissau and a dramatic comeback against Madagascar.

However, Troost-Ekong argues that the problem lies not just in the players or the coach, but in the administrative sector. He emphasized the need for consistency at all levels, from the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to the coach and the players themselves. Despite acknowledging recent improvements, such as the appointment of Eric Chelle as long-term coach, Troost-Ekong stresses that talent alone is not enough to compete with other African teams.

He believes that the current level of structure and preparation needs to be improved, and that the team must take their qualifiers seriously if they want to secure a spot in the AFCON 2027 tournament.